Movie Review: Bridesmaids

4 Stars

In most weddings, the bride garners the undivided attention of the audience.

For this particular occasion, however, Kristen Wiig steals the bouquet and runs with it. Both a co-writer and star of the film, Wiig takes viewers on a hilarious journey to the altar in “Bridesmaids.”

After Annie’s (Wiig) best friend, Lillian (SNL alum Maya Rudolph), asks her to be her maid of honor, chaos ensues. Out to steal the best friend role is the manipulative trophy wife Helen (Rose Byrne), who tries throwing a myriad of bridal luncheons and bachelorette parties. The movie follows Annie as she attempts to fulfill her duties in the midst of her life spiraling down around her.

From the opening scene onwards, Wiig steals the audience’s attention. Her performance is complemented by an array of interesting cast characters from bridesmaids to sex partners (Jon Hamm) to roommates.

The comfort between the actresses is easily seen in the banter between Rudolph and Wiig in the opening scenes – it is one of the better chemistries seen in recent comedies.

Rounding off the bridal party are three hilarious contributors: the sweet Becca, the mother of three foul-mouthed boys in Rita, and the tomboy in Megan (Melissa McCarthy). McCarthy’s character could have easily been the brunt of stereotypical lesbian jokes, but the writers avoid this pitfall well, giving each character their own dialogue to shine.

Like Producer Judd Apatow’s other comedies, “Knocked Up” and “The 40 Year Old Virgin,” this comedy has depth and draws the audience in to root for Annie in a sea of impossibility. While the film is highly lauded for its female cast, it is anything but a chick flick. This R-rated comedy can be enjoyed by women and men alike thanks to great dialogue, hilarious sight gags, and Wiig’s ability to make any moment funny or heartfelt.

“Bridesmaids” puts a spin on wedding-related antics like few others – the role of bridesmaid will hardly be looked at the same way again.